Ardson



r 2 SheetsSheet 1. J. T. PENNY & W. H. RICHARDSON. MACHINE FOR AMALGAMATING GOLD AND SILVER BEARING ORES.

(No Model.)

,300. Patented Jan. 27,1891.

WITNESSES A TTOHNE Y8 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J.- T. PENNY & W. H. RICHARDSON. MACHINE FOR AMALGAMATING GOLD AND SILVER BEARING 035s.

No. 445,300. I Patented Jan. 27, 1891.

A TTOHNE Y8 NITED STATES JOHN PATENT, OFFICE.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

MACHINE FOR AMALGAMATING GOLD AND SILVER BEARING ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,300, dated January 27', 1891.

Application filed January 9, 1890- Serial No. 336,349. (No model.)

To all 1071 0777, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN THOMAS PENNY, mining agent, and WILLIAM HENRY RICH- ARDSON, engineer, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain, and residing at Adelaide, in the Province of South Australia, have in vented an Improved Machine for Amalgamating Gold and Silver Bearing Ores, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Difficulty has been experienced in the treatment of various gold and silver bearing or other ores owing to the metal which they contain being disseminated through them in so :linely divided a state thata considerable portion of it has been lost when they have been treated by ordinary methods or by appliances at present in use.

The object of our invention is to provide a machine by means of which ores can be triturated to extreme fineness before amalgamation or extraction of the metal contained in them by any known process. In combination with our triturating apparatus we make provision in the same machine for subsequent amalgamation by means of mercury and amalgamating-plates, but do not confine ourselves to this or any particular method of cxtraction.

' lVhile describing our invention more particularly with reference to gold-bearing ores, we do this for convenience without confining ourselves to this or any special class. We prefer that the ore when introduced into the machine shall not be in too finely divided a state, but it should be reduced to an even granulation or fineness.

The special features of our invention consist of a vat or casing constructed of metal plates or other suitable material and provided with the appliances or apparatus hereinafter described.

Passing from a chute, into which it is fed from the crusher or battery in regular quantities, the ore falls upon a triturating-plate, to which rapid horizontal reciprocal motion is imparted by a connecting-rod led through the side of the vat or casing and actuated in any ordinary way. Suitable openings being pro vided in the trituratingplate, the ore passes through them onto the upper face of a stationary plate. Ilere the ore receives a first trituration, during which it passes in a re duced state through suitable openings provided in the stationary plate to a lower triturating-plate having a similar rapid horizontal reciprocal motion to that of the upper triturating-plate.

In order to prevent the ore accumulating and caking upon the upper trit-urating-plate, we provide a series of projecting spikes or harrows depending over its upper surface. By this means when the triturating-plate is in action the mass of ore is kept in constant motion and readily passes by its own gravity through the openings provided for the purpose in the stationary plate. \Ve also provide a perforated plate fixed upon the framework of the spikes or barrows for the purpose of preventing light ores from floating without trituration into the upper part of the vat or casin g. Below the lower triturating-plate we provide a false bottom upon which it rests, consisting of a series of plates extending longitudinally the whole length of the vat or casing and laid loosely on brackets or supports. The plates composing the false bottom are laid at a short distance apart, so as to allow spikes or harrows fixed to the lower triturating-plate to slide easily between them. These spikes or barrows are constructed of such length that they will extend below the face of the plates forming the false bottom and are intended to keep in motion the ore, now reduced to a slime, upon the surface of the mercury or other am algamator.

In our machine we amalgamate the ore by means of a bath of mercury placed at the bottom of the vat or casing, and to prevent the mercury from sickonin g we supply electricity to it from an ordinary voltaic battery fixed underneath the base-plate of the vat or casing and in intimate contact with it. In order to secure the more perfect amalgamation of any float gold, we provide in the upper part of the vat or casing a series of amalgamatingplates fixed in a frame, to which we impart a slow up-and-down motion. The amalgamating-plates, preferably three in number, are constructed with suitable openings not opposite one another, so that the Water or slimes containing the float gold may circulate between and through them when the apparatus is in motion.

In the treatment of certain classes of refractory ores, in order to assist their amalgamation before introducing them to the machine, we may-add such chemicals as may be necessary to neutralize the deleterious substances in their composition; but we make no claim with respect to this.

In order that our invention may be the better understood,we will now proceed to describe the same in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the machine complete; Fig; 2, a crosssectional elevation of the same reduced to half-size; Fig. 3, an end elevation of the machine; Fig. 4, a longitudinal elevation of the same; Fig. 5, a plan of the upper series of spikes or harrows; Fig. 6, a plan of the upper triturating-plate; Fig. 7, a plan of the false bottom. Figs. 2 to 7 are shown half-size as compared with Fig. 1.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in all figures.

A is a vat or casing, preferably composed of plates of iron bolted together; A, baseplate of vat or casing A. If desired, the vat or casing A maybe constructed with a cover; but it must be provided with a central hopper or chute into which the ore from the crusher can be fed.

1') is the open frame-work fixed to supports provided at the sides and ends of thevat or casing A; B, spikes or harrows projecting downward from the frame-work B; B perforated plate covering frame-work B and pro vided with a suitable opening for the orechute; C, upper.triturating-plate composed of iron and steel. The plate 0 should be of such suitable width and length as to move freely in the vat or casing A without coming in contact with the sides or ends.

O are openings in the plate 0, and preferably cone-shaped in order to allow of the free passage of the ores; D, boss, to which the upper trituratin g plate 0 is fixed; D, connecting-rod, to which a rapid reciprocal motion is imparted by any suitable means; D screwnuts by means of which the connecting-rod D is secured to the boss D; D gland of the connecting-rod D", fixed to the end of the vat or casing A and provided with a suitable stuffing-box in order to prevent the escape of the fiuid contents of the machine; E, stationary triturating-plate provided with suitable openings E of similar shape to the openings 0. The plate E should be of such size as to fit loosely in the vat or casing A without latlar reciprocal motion to that of the upper triturating-plate G.

F are spikes or harrows fixed to the lower triturating-plate F and of sufficient length for the purposes hereinafter described; G, false bottom, composed of a series of plates ,extending the whole length of the vat or casing A and laid upon rests or supports G, fixed thereto. The upper surface of the plates composing the false bottom G forms a triturating-face, upon which the lower trituratingplate F rests and upon which in close contact it is carried backward and forward by means of the boss D. The plates forming the false bottom G should be laid at such distances apart as will allow of the spikes or harrows F passing freely between them.

H is a bath or well of mercury placed upon the base-plate A; I, voltaic battery constructed of alternate zinc and copper plates excited by sulphuric acid or other suitable means and in intimate contact with the baseplate A K, lower vent for drawing off the mercur K, vent for removing concentrates; L, upper vent for the escape of the tailings; M, frame-work of such size as to move freely up and down in the vat or casing A; M, amalgamating-plates fixed in the frame-work M; M suitable openings in the amalgamating-plates M, through which the liquid contents of'the vat or casing A circulate; M central opening in the amalgamating-plates M, through which the feeding-chute passes to the upper triturating-plate G; N, jointed suspension-rods fixed to the framework M; O, rods or bars, by means of which the up-anddown motion is imparted to the suspensionrods N; P, eccentric revolving in suitable bearings fixed to the vat or casing A; Q, connecting-rod, by means of which motion is imparted from the eccentric P to the rods or bars 0.

The action of our machine is as follows; The crushed ore, either alone or mixed with suitable chemicals, is fed in regulated quantities to the receiving hopper or chute, from which it passes through the opening M and that of the plate B through the apertures in the frame-work B to the upper face of the triturating-plate O. Reciprocal motion being imparted to the upper triturating-plate Oby means of the connecting-rod D and the boss D, the ore is kept in constant motion by the spikes or harrows B, so that by its own gravity it passes freely through the opening 0 to the upper surface of the stationary plate E,

the plate B meanwhile preventing the light ore from floating upward to the escape-vent. By the rapid reciprocal action of the upper triturating-plate O the ore is quickly reduced to greater fineness, and in this condition passes through the openings E to the upper surface of the lower triturating-plate F to be further reduced by trituration between the upper face of the plate F and the lower face of the stationary plate E until it passes through the openings F to the upper face of the false IOu IIO

bottom G, where it receives a final trituration between the latter and the lower face of the triturating-plate F. The ore is now reduced to a fine slime and is ready for amalgamation or extraction of the gold by other method. In our machine it now passes through the longitudinal openings in the false bottom G to the bath or well of mercury II, where it is kept constantly stirred by the spikes or harrows F until amalgamated. Meanwhile by means of the voltaic battery I or other suitable appliance electricity is supplied to the well or bath of mercury II with the eltect of keeping the latter constantly excited and free from sickening. As the operation is continued and the slimes accumulate upon the bath or well of mercury H, the tailings will boil up along the sides and ends of the vat or casing A, filling the upper part to the level of the outlettap L, through which they will escape in a continuous stream, while in the upper portion of the machine the slimes will come in contact with the am algamatin g-plates M, and as the frame-work M rises and falls will, by being forced through the openings M be compelled to circulate between the plates M, thus insuring the amalgamation of any particles of floatgold. As the concentrates accumulate upon the surface of the well orbath of mercury 11 they can be removed through the vent K, and through the vent K the amalgam can be drawn cit when desired for recovery of the gold by retorting in the usual way.

\Ve wish it to be distinctly understood that, though providing, in combination with the triturating apparatus shown, a method of amalgamation, we do not necessarily confine ourselves to such combination.

It may in practice, with certain classes of ore, be found preferable to conduct the triturating process in one machine, and in another the extraction of the gold by amalgamation or other process. \Vhen such a course is intended, it is only necessary to retain in the triturating-machine those parts specially intended for that purpose, the slimes being removed through the vent K for further treat ment. Ne may also increase or decrease the number of triturating-plates, but propose in any case to construct them in pairs, one plate being movable and the other stationary.

We wish it to be distinctly understood that we do not confine ourselves to the method of amalgamation shown in the bath or well of mercury II, or in the method of applying electricity to the same, nor to the special method shown of imparting reciprocal motion to the upper amalgamating-plates; but,

Having now particularly described and explained the nature of onr said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,

we declare that what we claim is 1. In a triturating-machine, the combination, with a suitable vessel or pan, of a stationary plate mounted therein, a movable plate 0 parallel and in proximity to the stationary plate and having openings C and a boss D, a stuliing-box D and a rod D, connected with the boss and passing through said box, substantially as set forth.

2. In a triturating-lnachine, the combination, with a suitable vessel or pan, of a st-a' tionary plate, a reciprocating plate 0, and a stationary open frame-work B above the latter and having a series of spikes or harrows 13, substantially as set forth.

3. In a triturating-machine, the combination, with a suitable vessel or pan, of a stationary plate having a slot E a reciprocatory plate C above the same, a boss D on the plate C and having a part extending downward through said slot, a second reciprocatory plate F below the stationary plate and engaged by said boss, and means for actuating the movable plates, substantially as set forth.

4. In a t-ritnrating-machine, the combination, with a suitable vessel or pan, of a sta tionary plate havinga slot E a reciprocatory plate C above the same, a boss D on the plate 0 and having a part extending downward through said slot, a second reciprocatory plate F below the stationary plate, having harrows F and engaged by said boss, and means for actuating the movable plates, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN THOMAS PENNY. WILLIAM HENRY RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS H. Cnow, CHARLES S. BURGESS. 

